The first step in applying for a franchise loan is making sure you are well-prepared before you connect with a lender. This means that you should have identified the franchise you wish to pursue, and should have your supporting documents and loan package organized and available when you engage with lenders. The goal is to make a solid first impression to show that you are prepared and will successfully put the lender's money to good use and can be trusted to repay the loan. Accessing capital to start your business is perhaps the most difficult step in the start-up process. An online service like BoeFly.com, (we specialize in franchise finance - see what franchise brands have to say about BoeFly) or working with a financial adviser can help prepare you to address any deficiencies within your loan package. Loan brokers will typically cost you a $2000 packaging fee or more, and they may charge the lender a fee of 1-2% of the loan amount, which may come back to you as a hidden cost in the closing costs or in increased interest rates. In contrast, BoeFly has several plans available starting at just $249 to help fully guide you through the process of building a professional, lender ready package and connect you with over 5,000 lenders.

Consider using a tenant broker. A good tenant broker can be invaluable and will represent your company’s best interests. He or she will educate you on the current market; locate spaces that meet your stated parameters; arrange tours and accompany you to view these available spaces; and then prepare offer letters and negotiate with landlords for all spaces that work best for your company.

Fees and costs. Origination, underwriting and early repayment fees are typical costs that you could see. If a lender provides an APR, it includes the interest rate plus any upfront fees. Early repayment can be a conditional fee and is not reflected in the APR, so it’s a good idea to carefully read through the terms of your offer before accepting it. Learn more about business loan costs.
If you are using the web to help you acquire a loan, beware of "Free" services, sites not certified by TRUSTe or sites with poor Better Business Bureau ratings. These sites may just want your contact information which they then sell to brokers and lenders. It is not a very efficient way for you to get financing and may lead to wasted time, money and calls from unsavory and unqualified sources. Also, make sure there are no hidden fees that either you or the lender will need to make - or guarantees that you will receive a loan.
If you’re like the majority of new startups, cash flow will be your primary concern. You can have the best business plan in the world, but it won’t be of any use if you don’t have the money to keep the lights on while you’re getting your feet on the ground. With this, it’s important to know what resources are available to make the initial growth period a lot easier.
For these reasons, many franchise owners are turning to the alternative lending space for better financing options. Online lenders are generally more lenient in their borrower requirements and they also offer a much faster time to funding than traditional bank loans, often depositing funds in your account within a week of receiving your application.
As the saying goes: "The only certainties in life are death and taxes." Unfortunately, this is also true if you start a business in Australia - you absolutely must register for the correct taxes to avoid any potential legal implications. The taxes you must register for are dependent on the type of business you choose to start, with some applicable to every type and others only mandatory for certain types.
Starting a small business typically involves a lot of moving parts. In fact, time management can quickly become a challenge for entrepreneurs who are digging into the business start-up process for the first time. I compiled a list of 10 of the most important steps involved in starting a business and broke them down into easy-to-follow tutorials. Use this guide to make sure you're focusing your attention on the most important stages of starting a business and find out what you need to know so you can streamline your work for each of those steps.

Ideally, your business will operate long enough and become successful enough that the company will get its own credit score and be able to qualify for a loan on its own. Building a business credit score requires your company to establish its own identity, including having its own tax ID number or employer ID number, obtained from the IRS. You'll typically also need a business credit card in the organization's name that's always paid on time.

Short-term loans like the ones offered by OnDeck have higher rates and fees compared to longer-term loans. Effective interest rates start at 9.99%, and if you have a newer franchise and/or poor to fair credit, your rate will likely be higher than that. Nevertheless, OnDeck is one of the few reputable sources of short-term, unsecured business loans offered to franchise owners, and also one of the fastest. OnDeck is additionally one of the few online franchise lenders willing to lend to applicants with poor credit.

1. Get organized. Getting an organized plan is the first step in any marketing effort. Make one. Start with brainstorming, create themes and transfer action items to a calendar or to-do list. Start small, and try to get a good ROI for everything you do. Create an elevator pitch: What can you tell people about your business, products and services in 30 seconds or less that keeps them interested and wanting more? Get customer input early -- if you are opening a storefront or restaurant, try hosting a soft opening or invitation-only event to get your kinks worked out and your mishaps and mistakes out of the way. Whatever you do, make a good first impression.
Despite these indicators, financing remains a problem for potential franchise owners. According to Entrepreneur magazine (January 2013), there’s still an 18 percent lending shortfall in the franchising industry. In a bid to boost franchise ownership, many franchisors are taking matters into their own hands and offering financing programs of their own. Meineke, The UPS Store, Gold’s Gym, Masasge Envy and Instant Imprints are just a few examples of franchisors now offering financing to qualifying first-time and multi-store franchise owners.
On the other hand, food trucks and vending machines are trends helping to mold the industry even though they are not new concepts. The consumer desire and such convenience have become overwhelming, thus inspiring a more innovative variety of food trucks and vending machines. Their market typically consists of business parks and buildings, transit areas, tourists spots, sporting, cultural, and other entertainment events, and tertiary education institutions. Thus, for example, the vending machine company named the Burrito Box, makes all their food off-site and franchises refill the contents daily. With this approach, consumers get the same quality of food that they would get out of fast-casual restaurants. As follows, the capital it would take to start up a company of this sort ranges from $50,000 to $250,000, but it all depends on how equipped the truck comes. Its also important to mention that since consumers have demanded more artisanal products, food businesses are investing in fresh and healthier ingredients and options. Which can be seen already with specialty sandwiches, locally sourced products, vending machines with healthier snacks, build your own concepts (assembly line formats, similar to Chipotle), and upscale versions of the basics. Either way, this model is becoming more popular, lucrative and assessable to entrepreneurs of all kinds.
Your second option invokes the idea of a “warmup” period for your business. Instead of going straight into full-fledged business mode, you’ll start with just the basics. You might launch a blog and one niche service, reducing your scope, your audience and your profit, in order to get a head-start. If you can start as a self-employed individual, you'll avoid some of the biggest initial costs (and enjoy a simpler tax situation, too). A payment processing company, such as Due, can be a big help when you are struggling to invoice and follow up professionally.
Our course starts at the very beginning with setting up QuickBooks for your business. We cover how to record your income and expenses, how to manage bank and credit card transactions and how to run financial statements. There are a total of 39 tutorials in our QuickBooks course spanning seven lessons. Each lesson has been broken down into bite-sized tutorials. Each QuickBooks tutorial includes a video where we demonstrate the concepts presented in each lesson.
Most franchisees will have to get a business loan at some point. Fortunately, compared to independent small business owners, franchisees have traditionally had an easier time securing financing from banks — including loans backed by the SBA (Small Business Administration). But bank loans and SBA loans are still not easy to get even for franchise businesses, and the application and approval process can be prohibitively long for a lot of franchisees in need of quick capital. Some franchisors offer their own financing programs, but the practice is far from widespread, so you can’t necessarily depend on funding from your franchise brand.
Overcoming this problem is easier than it used to be, thanks to the plethora of marketing opportunities on the internet. Many of them, of course, are free or low cost, but don’t forget that your time is also an investment. So don’t make the mistake of signing up for every social media site out there and letting your valuable time dribble away in tweets and status updates.

The ROBS option allows you to use funds from your retirement savings to finance your franchise without paying early withdrawal penalties and taxes. This can be an attractive option for franchisees that struggle to get traditional loans and are comfortable with some amount of risk. Those with substantial retirement savings may feel most sanguine removing a portion of those funds for this purpose.

To get a good estimate of costs, the first thing we recommend doing is asking the franchisor for their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) early on in the process. It’s a good idea to have an accountant and lawyer review the FDD with you before you sign any paperwork or hand over any money. A franchisor is legally required to give you the FDD at least 14 days before you buy a franchise.
Shelton advises entrepreneurs to apply for a larger loan once they have the numbers to prove that they are growing: “What you’re hoping to get from these smaller loans is traction,” which you can use to “pitch [your story] as a growth story” when you apply for a larger traditional loan from a bank. Proving that you have experience growing your business from someone else’s money will help you convince the bank that you can do the same with their loan.
There are lots of options when you want to borrow money, however, one of the challenges that you have to face is when you have bad credit score. Banks will most likely decline your application for a loan, and while there are firms who claim that they don’t look at your credit scores, there may still be other requirements. Before getting a loan, Biltmore Loan and Jewelry (biltmoreloanandjewelry.com) advised to identify first if you really need it, remember that you are committed to paying the money back so if the purchase is not necessary, you might as well skip on getting a loan. But if it is extremely important like paying the tuition or you lack funding for a business, then it would justify your need to borrow money. Aside from list given above, you may also consider getting a collateral loan like a car title loan which would allow you to borrow money using your car title as collateral but you get to keep your vehicle. In addition, a land title loan will also work out for you so you can get cash to fund your business regardless of your credit scores.

No business lender is perfect. A lot of them try (and get pretty close) but sometimes, the biggest advantages can lead to polarizing disadvantages. Take OnDeck Capital, for instance. This online business lender is widely-praised by all kinds of small business owners, and rightfully so. OnDeck’s application requires minimal paperwork, you can get funded in […]

Often, banks that aren't willing to work with you based on your financial profile become more amenable if you suggest working with an SBA loan guarantee; these loans are guaranteed up to 90 percent by the SBA. Small businesses simply submit a loan application to the lender for initial review, and if the lender finds the application acceptable, it forwards the application and its credit analysis to the nearest SBA office. After SBA approval, the lender closes the loan and disburses the funds; the borrower makes loan payments to the lender.
Franchise business loans typically come with more attractive terms than you are likely to find for any other type of start-up business loan. This is because lenders consider the financial stability, business model, and previous success of the franchise parent company when reviewing a loan application. Banks and alternative lenders are finding franchises to be an increasingly attractive investment. In 2011, the SBA reported approval of $1.5 billion in 7(a) loans for franchises, up from approximately $826 million the previous fiscal year. The 7(a) loan-guarantee program is the SBA's most popular loan program.
One way to minimize the risks of opening a business is to invest in a franchise concept, rather than starting a stand-alone business. Up to 80% of new businesses have failed after five years, while franchises offer support, proven business practices, and a recognizable brand name to draw sales. Owning a franchise provides a proven business model to follow, while still offering the the benefits of owning a your own business. Banks like financing franchise startups for the reasons stated above.

Our franchise clients have been recommended a variety of business funding programs such as merchant cash advances or short-term working capital loans. Both options can allow you to cover a massive upfront cost, increase staff, launch a local ad campaign or pay a series of coinciding bills. Since profit margins for restaurants and retailers are already on the low side, we can provide the means to make important payments ahead of schedule and lessen the blow from weekly deductions.

As you have done throughout the planning and startup process, consider analyzing your competitors and other companies. How are they selling themselves? How do they portray themselves? What do they say makes them unique? If you’re not sure, take a look at their advertising and marketing messages. This is generally where you’ll find the USP or variations of it.
You can arrange to borrow from ordinary commercial banks or credit unions for your new venture. According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), new franchise owners have a higher tendency to borrow from commercial banks than new business owners. Lenders prefer advancing cash to new franchises over other new businesses since they already have trust in the brand and business model of the business being funded.
This will include choosing and registering your business name and choosing a business structure. Many small business startups will choose between a sole-proprietorship, a partnership, and a limited liability company. However, you can also start a corporation or a non-profit company. Each of these structures will have different pros and cons and be treated differently when it comes time to file taxes.
Some franchisors report being approached by financial brokers--historically more interested in big deals--to put together large pools of money using SBA and private funds. These funds would be available to franchisees through the franchisors like a trust fund. Groups of smaller banks with funds to invest would contribute to the fund from all over the country.
It is important to protect your company’s intellectual property (IP). Ever wary of minimizing burn rate, startups may be tempted to defer investment in intellectual property protection. To those who have not tried to protect intellectual property, it feels complex and expensive. Too often, startups end up forfeiting intellectual property rights by neglecting to protect their ideas and inventions.
If you are an expanding business and need money for relocation and/or renovation, you’ll be looking for a term loan, which is essentially a lump sum of cash that will be paid back within a set amount of time. Depending on what you expect for the long-term when you are in a growth stage, you may be looking for investors rather than lenders at this point.

Chris Guillebeau is a writer, entrepreneur, and traveler. His latest book, The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future, is now a New York Times bestseller. During a lifetime of self-employment and ventures ranging from online publishing to volunteer work in West Africa, he has visited nearly every country on earth before the age of 35. Host of the World Domination Summit, an international gathering of creative people, Chris is focused on encouraging individual quests while also “giving back.” His main website, ChrisGuillebeau.com, is visited by more than 300,000 people a month.

If you are an expanding business and need money for relocation and/or renovation, you’ll be looking for a term loan, which is essentially a lump sum of cash that will be paid back within a set amount of time. Depending on what you expect for the long-term when you are in a growth stage, you may be looking for investors rather than lenders at this point.

A very economical service is Regus, with office locations worldwide; office space is readily available for startup entrepreneurs on a just-in-time basis. Regus offers several membership levels: Blue, Gold, Platinum, and Platinum Plus. For example, a Regus Blue membership card is free, while a Regus Gold membership card costs $59 per month (with the first month free). With a Gold card you get shared space, Internet connection, and telephone access at Regus locations worldwide, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Though the fastest growing entrepreneurs were entering this business model are Millennials. Franchising at a rate that cannot be ignored; the latest Census data shows that 66% of Millennials are interested in entrepreneurship, nearly making up 30% of all entrepreneurs are between 20-24 years old, and over 25% are self-employed. Additionally, they launch 160,000 start-ups each month motivating the IFA (International Franchise Association) to start the NextGen Franchise initiative that recognizes and supports young entrepreneurs. The IFA is going as far as reaching out to this generation while their still in school, introducing them to the benefits and possibilities of franchising offered through education, scholarship, and leadership. Another age group making up a large part of the market are the baby boomers and seniors. More services being developed are quality of life/wellness products, patient advocacy, non-medical home care, and respite care. And lastly, there are an increase in businesses interested in kids and child enrichment that is thriving and showing no signs of slowing down. Each has displayed an interest in getting kids moving, reading, thinking, and believing in themselves. These businesses have provided a sense of accomplishment and community within a supportive environment. Therefore, a trend of development centered around fitness, sports, music, art, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), tutoring, and child care have grown immensely. However, with the trends centering around technology, the food industry, and the distinct influence of individual age groups, franchising is proving to be a flourishing industry with a positive future.
Are you thinking about starting a small business, freelancing, or turning a hobby into a full-time job? Or perhaps you're already running your own business and need some inspiration to take it to the next level. Each week, join small business coach Dave Crenshaw for two short lessons that reveal the secrets of running a successful small business. This series covers topics such as getting started, writing a business plan, determining your most valuable product or service, hiring people, managing processes, documenting systems, bootstrapping, seeking funding, accounting, controlling costs and profit margins, marketing, creating culture, and more.

With one or more of these three options, you should be able to reduce your personal financial investment to almost nothing. You may have to make some other sacrifices, such as starting small, accommodating partners or taking on debt, but if you believe in your business idea, none of these losses should stand in your way. Capital is a major hurdle to overcome, but make no mistake -- it can be overcome.

Working capital loans. A working capital loan is a debt borrowing vehicle used by the company to finance its daily operations. Companies use such loans to manage fluctuations in revenues and expenses due to seasonality or other circumstances in their business. Some working capital loans are unsecured, but companies that have little or no credit history will have to pledge collateral for the loan or provide a personal guarantee. Working capital loans tend to be short-term loans of 30 days to 1 year. Such loans typically vary from $5,000 to $100,000 for small businesses.